RP:Catching Up in a Cathedral
This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.
Synopsis: On a mission to help the ailing people from the current plague of risen undead in Cenril, Joan finds an all too familiar face.
Date: April 19th, 2021
The Cathedral of the Divine Three
It is quiet in this hallowed hall of worship; The setting sun long ago having sent most back to their homes to get a good night’s rest. The priests, once lighting the third flame of the day, have departed, leaving the doors of the cathedral open to any that wish to offer prayers to the mythical beings that ascended to Godhood after the defeat of the great evil. Despite being open to outsiders, one might find their path to the dais blocked off, as in the center of the cathedral seem to be many bales of hay, stacked as high as humanly possible and spilling out between the first few rows of pews. It is only when a sound reminiscent of tearing leather echoes through the reverberant building that the purpose for these bales would be known. Not long after the initial noise, a second cut in, this time of a woman screaming. To anyone that would enter into the halls, they might, for an instance, see a black shrouded figure plummet from above and into the center of the bale pile - most likely landing without much injury.
Joan had worked her way through the doubled amount of guards that where roaming the city streets looking to control the loose amount of zombies and ghouls that had recently pushed their way past the shipwreck and raided graveyards of the city proper. There has been sights and increased altercations of the dead entering into the other cities and towns. The vampiric necromancer had worked hard to keep her shield around the Chapel of Rest/Unrest to keep the risen dead out of there and those that came there as deceased to be put to rest stay dead. Joan also went out now and again to try to help those risen and roaming/ attacking into a more peaceful state and follow her towards cornered off holding areas. The amethyst colored hair woman had taken this earlier free hour to make her way towards the Cathedral to check the area, her booted steps quite as she moved down the road towards the opened Cathedral in a easy pace till she hear the loud screaming coming for the place. Making all do haste she makes it inside just in time to see the figure fall down towards the piles of hay, which made the vampire give pause before she rushed towards the fallen hay dusted figure. “Holla! What is going on here?!” She’d ask as she scrambled up the hay stacks towards who or what had taken that tumble.
Once Joan had climbed her way up, she would find a familiar face; Albeit not quite in a familiar condition. It was the former Magister Letum for the Necromancer’s guild, a woman who once wore extravagant clothing and carried herself with as much grace as her clumsy self could muster. Her skin was now much paler than before, with dark, grey-colored veins appearing close to her temples, upon one side of her neck, and on the back of her hands. Her clothing barely fit now, much of it hanging loosely off of her ailing frame. One might mistake her for one of the walking dead. Raevyn groaned loudly as she struggled to get her bearings. This fall was not one that was unfamiliar, but regardless of how much hay that she stacked, the landing was always rough. In fact, it took a few broken bones before she figured out that she would need something to land on. “Did I…?!” she managed to get out, frantically searching now through the disturbed mess for an item that she might have dropped. Besides the large malachite scythe and the archaic flesh-bound tome, there seemed to be nothing else in range. She had failed once again. “DAMN IT!” the girl shrieked, fists pounding against the surrounding bales. Only when Joan's voice registered did the necromancer look up, a curt greeting offered in return, “Oh. Hello.”
Joan took a few moments to look over the fallen girl’s frame and pale face, those voided orbs linger on the grey-tinted veins spread along the other’s temple, along side the neck and back of those pale hands. “Yeah, hello, good to see you Raevyn, tho you don’t seem to be in the best of health. Might you need assistance in some way?” Joan was also with the healers guild and her partly unbuttoned shirt front showed off her pendant with the guild’s symbol hanging from a pure silver chain about her neck. Her gaze would take in the flesh bound tome and the weapon but she didn’t fear the other necromancer, the vampiric woman would offer a hand towards the other as she herself balanced on the stacks of hay to stand up. “Girl, may I ask what in Sven’s name were you doing?” A questionable glance was shot towards the ceiling before it went to glance over the girl as she sat up in the hay.
Raevyn opened her mouth to speak, but instead found herself in a fit of uncontrolled coughing. She gagged and sputtered, soon spitting a large black glob of goo upon the floor at her feet. She quickly wiped her mouth and grabbed her things, tossing them overhead and onto the opposite wall of hay. Taking the offered hand, Raevyn then climbed out of the stack and seated herself on the edge to catch her breath. “I… don’t think… you can help me..” she said between laboured breaths. The girl had been to countless healers in the last year, trying nearly every treatment offered to help get her back to a more manageable state. Nothing ever worked. Some had even exacerbated the situation. The truth of the matter was, if Raevyn didn’t separate the parasitic entity’s soul from her own, they would both die a grueling and cruel death. Joan’s inquiry into Raevyn’s business was met with silence for some time. While she was trying to regain the strength to speak without wheezing, part of her did not want to answer truthfully, because she just did not have the same levels of trust in others as she had so long ago. Still, she thought, what could it hurt? Either she finished her task, or the task would finish her. “I am… looking for something. Between worlds. The problem… is that it is a puzzle. A Maze. And every time I think I have found the solution, I realize my failure.” Raevyn coughed again, this time not quite so harshly. “What brings you here?” the necromancer asked, making small talk.
Joan took all this in stride as the ghoulish colored girl spoke, the vampiric healer/necromancer listening. Her own icy pink pale hands moved to rest on either side of her leather pant waist, taking a more easy and relaxed stance, giving a slight nod to show she was following along with what the other explained of her condition. “Mm, you maybe right, but I work with my personal necro energies to help heal the dead/undead and treat the living. I’m the only cross-training healer/necromancer in both guilds. I can give it a go to try to heal the bodily damage you might have suffered, or at least try to lessen that nasty cough and Icky black glob spitting.” That booted left foot of hers lightly kicks some loose hay over the glob the other spit out as the vampiric woman glance down at the other with a slightly worried expression. “Some pickle you seem to be in girl over this maze like puzzle. I can offer you some help should you need it, but, I may not be powerful enough and skilled enough, all thou I can offer to point you to those that would be willing to help you.” A chilled smile is offered after her response meant to be seen as helpful, it was hard to tell honestly as her eyes were voided and held no iris or pupils. Joan was always kind towards the other, I mean it’s not everyday one is invited to a tea party. And knowing Joan, she only held those with people she liked and trusted. Her pale thumb pad ran across her purses lips as the others curled about her chin as she thought, speaking as she cants her head towards the open cathedral doors. “There is a undead uprising that has happened recently, I was making a round about the city to help the guards and citizens in need of assistance against the arisen, and also transport victims that have been bitten to the clinic before they turn.”
Raevyn managed to lift a single blackened brow. “Oh. The risen dead,” she answered first. “I have seen them shambling through the city. I have not paid much attention as to why, or what is being done about it. I… I just venture here when I am able and make as much progress as I can. You’re doing a nice thing, really. I’m sure the citizens of Cenril really appreciate your help. Do you know why they, the undead I mean, are not at rest?” Pale blues look up to the spacious ceiling of the cathedral, admiring the expansive craftsmanship. “Thank you Joan,” she said, allowing her lips to form a very tired smile. “I am close, really. So very, very close. I thought I had it in my grasp this time. I think… if I rest and allow my mana to replenish, I can do it on my next try. It takes so much out of you…” Another cough interrupts her line of thought, the young necromancer quickly bringing up her fist to suppress it. She really sounded in a bad way. “I… I’m not sure it will work.. But, if you have an idea, I am all ears. I’ve seen so… so many healers. Shamans. Priests. I am willing to try anything.”
Joan let her hand fall from her chin as she now moves down and off from the hay bales, lightly dusting off the few bits of hay that clung about her pants legs. The magical energies seem stronger then anything anyone in the guild can do, leading me to believe that it’s demigod related, maybe even god level. Since it burn most necromancers out of sheer power to raise the amount there seems to be.” A rolling shrug is given of her vest and shirt covered shoulders. “Just reach out and try to feel them, yes, they are mindless but there seems to be a driving force stronger then normal risen dead by a normal necromancer.
Raevyn follows suit and rises to her feet, less concerned with what clung to her outfit. It was dirty, torn in places; Obviously uncared for, for quite some time. She collected the scythe, and then the book, jumping down to level ground. “That’s really strange… I’m surprised that the Guild hasn’t taken the blame. After all, that is a necromancer’s domain. I would hate to see the locals turn on any of you and hold you responsible for something you had no hand in. You don’t think anyone in the guild has anything to do with it, do you? Like, possibly someone working for another?”
Joan sadly shook her head, her amethyst colored hair moving with the shaking of her head, “I can’t really say since you then Larewen left. Bradyn had retired for awhile there and Daath left also. There was none of us powerful enough honestly. I mean Khitti has risen back up to Provectus Malus status as well as Quintessa, but other then that...” Joan left off there as she moved to the open entrance, now looking out towards the street watching the guards make their rounds and the hustle and flow of citizens brave enough to make a go of going about their personal business and lives. One hand reaching into the inner pocket of her vest fingers dipping in and lightly close about a small scroll that the women pulls out and free. Turning towards the girl she’d offer the other a chance to see the inked arcane sigils drawn on to the scroll, the clear symbols for ‘enchanted undead can not enter here/wander here’ coupled with ‘safety against bodily harm and protection from the inflected dead/undead’. “It’s not much but I worked hard on these, I have been placing them about the areas of the city that seem overwhelmed and don’t have magical protection.” Joan had yet to put her full mana power into these till she could get someone more powerful to look them over properly. “Any suggestions?” She asked after adding that they where only low level powered till now. If Raevyn approved Joan would full power these arcane sigils.
Raevyn frowned as she listened to Joan divulge the fate of the former Guild members, reminded of how badly she failed to fulfill her own duties. What’s worse, is now Joan was looking for input on a set of wards to protect the people of Cenril. The truth of the matter, that despite all that she had learned in her time in the land of Lithrydel, she was still, in her heart, a novice. She knew enough to get by. She could cast simple spells. Wards and curses. Even finally managed to raise the dead. However, her study of Nasada’s tome left her with a very limited skillset. And what power she had exhibited in the past, was often not of her own doing. “I...I think.. They look fine. They should work,” she uttered, trying to not look foolish. Taking Joan’s earliest suggestion, Raevyn shut her eyes and tried to silence the world around her. She was weak, magic having been mostly drained in her earlier expedition, but she attempted to hone into the dark power that permeated the city. It took a moment, but she would lock onto a source, and it felt familiar. Too familiar. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and a deep blackness filled their entirety. She flashed back to a day so very long ago, more than four years ago to be precise. She had been on her way back to Xalious when she stumbled upon some sort of summoning ritual. She had no recollection of what transpired originally, but now it began to show itself. There were two necromancers, powerful and full of darkness. They were pouring their collective energies into the ritual, and soon a crowd had gathered to attempt to stop them. Raevyn watched herself lift a hand and point toward the ritual - but it wasn’t her hand that she could see. This one was crimson. A dark surge poured forth from the outstretched hand and in the end, helped to complete the ritual to summon a great beast. That power - that familiar signature - this is where she had first felt it. As quickly as the inky black in her eyes had come, it faded. “Oh no,” Raevyn murmured. “What have I done?” Without giving Joan so much as a moment to respond, the young necromancer pushed past the other and ran off into the night.
Joan seemed satisfied with the former Magister Letum/ Provectus Malus’ words, even if Raevyn was a bit hesitant in her first couple words back to Joan, she had faith in Raevyn because it took skill and practice to raise to the level the younger woman had achieved in their once mutual guild. Pleased, the sceleratus level necromancer would slowly ease more power into these arcane sigils she had posted all about the city, feeling the flow of energies increase from her first low level power to her full level strength, causing her voided eyes to visualize brighten with lilac color, the smoke drifting out from the corner of her eyes in a more thicker smoke like clouds. So focused on her task at hand she barely noticed or registered the younger woman’s actions. Joan being fully committed to pouring magic and power into all her posted tiny scrolls about the city, once she felt sure and solid enough in her actions would she finally come back to herself and notice Raevyn had rushed past her, exiting out of the cathedral and into the night, to this hurried action Joan would only offer a quite shrug before she felt the drain from her being, causing her to reach out to grab upon anything close by to steady herself. She might have overreached with those many small scrolls posted about the city, making the vampire feel woozy for a couple minutes. Yeah...not her best idea but well worth the effort, taking her time she’d stand up straight and push off whatever she had reached out to hold, making her way out of the cathedral and down it’s steps before disappearing into the night like Raevyn did.